Article One Recruits Elite Endurance Athlete and Creative Designer César Villalba in Bespoke Performance Eyewear Collaboration

March 21, 2024

FLINT, Mich. (March 21, 2024) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – Article One, the independent eyewear brand creating handcrafted active and optical frames, and César Villalba, creative designer and elite triathlete, are excited to debut performance sunglasses crafted to counter traditional styles of eyewear in competitive fields. With flames emblazoned along the sides and a youthful, rectangular shape, the Article One x César Villalba frames rebuff the repetitive shapes and colors of technical frames that athletes are accustomed to. Distinct details and bespoke hues are inspired by Villalba’s relentless energy towards his passions – racing and creative directing for global fashion brands.

“César introduces an exciting world where personality-driven, colorful accessories and gear are embraced in competitive settings,” said Article One Founder Wes Stoody. “In the field of play, athletes are generally bound by sponsored gear or team fits, or a culture that equates uniformity with elevated performance. Like us, César actively and unapologetically seeks to challenge those standards. We hope that when athletes or recreationalists see our sunglasses, they are delightfully surprised and encouraged to be true to themselves.”

In designing the frame, Villalba focused on the concept of fire to represent the endurance and spirit of both athletes and creatives. The hand drawn flames, symbolic of the undying energy of pursuing passions, also pay homage to the distinctive southern Los Angeles community Villalba has made home. A community organizer for athletic and cultural events, he chose a 90’s-inspired shape and selected unique patterns that honor the deep history of elite sport, fashion design and art the southern California city is globally known for.

“Article One embraced my rebel spirit in this collaboration and supported a vision that most performance brands would not,” said César Villalba, a design consultant for high-end brands including Coach, Loewe, Michael Kors, Mission Workshop and others. “I’ve always resonated with fire as a way to visually communicate energy so incorporating flames felt instinctive. For competitors and creatives sporting these frames, I hope the fiery detailing will invoke a reminder of the passion and power they apply into their own lives.”

As a part of Article One’s award-winning ACTIVE Collection, the Article One x César Villalba frames are engineered with hexetate – a patented acrylic resin that allows for improved flexibility, enhanced shape memory and added durability – and constructed with CR39 polarized lenses with backside anti-reflective coating to block 100% of UVA/UVB rays and prevent road glare. The frames also boast the brand’s signature adjustable nose pads, rubber temple tips and spring hinges.

The Article One x César Villalba ($199) sunglasses are available today for purchase on articleoneeyewear.com in three patterns each boasting two colored-lens options.

To view Article One’s entire 11-piece ACTIVE line, please visit articleoneeyewear.com.

Please direct Article One media inquiries to New Local PR Director Anna Avery at anna@newlocalpr.com.

About Article One Products

Article One is an independent eyewear company founded in Flint, Michigan by former collegiate runner Wes Stoody. As the principal designer since the first collection launch in 2016, Stoody centers fashion at the heart of his creative process – constantly challenging traditional aesthetics of the performance category. Article One hand selects independent artisans from all over the world to create its timelessly-styled, innovative optical and athletic transfer collections. With high-quality materials and high-performance innovation, Article One’s ACTIVE Collection has earned several awards for style and sport function. In 2023, Article One launched its unique partner program, sponsoring professional athlete-advocates and lending decision-making power as a way to support a diverse variety of philanthropic efforts.

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